


Stay

by Y0urs_Truly



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Comfort, Emotional Support, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Mentions of alcohol, More tags to be added, Romance, Slight mentions of reddie, Stenbrough, Teenager Romance, Teenagers, cursing, teenager angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:33:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21945898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Y0urs_Truly/pseuds/Y0urs_Truly
Summary: The only things Stanley's sure of at this point are these three:1) Skipping religious services to go and have fun with your friends is a BAD idea.2) Some people are quite a handful when they're drunk.3) He's madly in love with Bill Denbrough.
Relationships: Bill Denbrough & Stanley Uris, Richie Tozier & Eddie Kaspbrak
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	1. Just in time

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there!  
> First of all: thank you for deciding to take time to read this!
> 
> This is my first Stenbrough fic, so I'm honestly kind of nervous about posting it!
> 
> Before anything else, I'd like to clarify that the Losers are 17 going on 18 in this fan fiction - just to avoid any misunderstandings.
> 
> I'm curious about what y'all think, so some feedback would be highly appreciated!!  
> (Please be kind though, I'm a big softie.)
> 
> I truly hope you enjoy this just as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> I'll try my best to update regularly!

A few minutes to eleven, Saturday night, in the middle of the darn summer.  
A time to feel alive, to make memories with friends.  
The perfect moment to stay outside till the sun set and crack jokes, listen to each other's stories and laughter. 

While that all could've been Stanley Uris, the only thing that could be overheard in his surrounding wasn't the sound of his friends' laughter, but the ticking of the clock on his nightstand.  
Plus - occasionally - a soft ruffling sound as he flipped a page of his book.

A heavy sigh left the boy's lips when he started a new paragraph.  
He closed his eyes for a few seconds as he tried to remember what he'd read on the previous page... And the three pages before that one.  
Had he been zoning out that badly?

Stanley reached for his bookmark, feeling that even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to focus anymore.  
He slipped it in between the pages, closing the novel. 

Maybe the blame for his lack of concentration could be put on his tiredness. Yet, as soon as he looked over to his bed, not a single muscle in his body felt like heading over.

Stanley blinked a few times, his eyes sliding over his room. The air was filled with a kind of silence he wasn't used to anymore.  
He was rarely alone these days, always out with the other Losers...  
Today, however, his parents hadn't allowed him to join their late night get-together...  
And Stanley knew damn well he had deserved it.

_"What was going on inside your head, Stanley?"_

_Even though Stanley wasn't looking up, he felt his father's eyes burn into his skin.  
His voice was composed, but he knew he was in big trouble.  
The man hardly ever lashed out at him, but he did preach.  
Sometimes he wished for him to yell, to get it over with in one go... But his father was in no way like that._

_"Skipping service? To swim in the Quarry?"  
The amount of disbelief in his voice grew, as if he still didn't understand how his son had possibly been able to do something like that.  
"I'm sorry, dad", Stan mumbled, his hands folded in his lap._

_His eyes were trained on the floor. He didn't want to encounter that typical, disapproving look he knew his father was giving him._

_"Are you genuinely sorry, or sorry because you got caught?"  
Stanley swallowed thickly. Jeez'...  
A deep sigh left his father's lips and in the corner of his eyes he saw him cross his arms._

_"One service, Stanley. You have to attend one service a week", he continued,"Is that too much to ask?Besides, did you truly believe we wouldn't notice your absence? Do you think your mother and I are fools?"_

_Stanley's head shot up at that, finally meeting his eyes.  
"No- No, of course not!", he exclaimed,"Dad, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I made a mistake- I know I did... Just- Please don't be mad..."  
His chest tightened at the way his old man was gazing at him.  
He hated it when he gave him that look... _

_"I'm not mad Stanley, neither is your mother. We're just very, very disappointed."  
Stan groaned quietly. As if that was any better...  
"Don't you dare to complain", his father warned him,"I think we have enough reasons to be."_

_Stanley sighed and nodded, silently apologizing once again._

_For a moment no one said anything, but the tension in the air was still very present._

_Stan regretted joining his friends for that early Saturday swim at the Quarry more than anything else right now...  
If he'd known it would result into a lecture and 'disappointed' parents, he would've never done it...  
He'd been an idiot for believing he wouldn't get in trouble.  
He'd been really fucking stupid for thinking it would go unnoticed._

_"I'll talk about it with your mother."  
Stanley's chest loosened up a little when he finally spoke again.  
"But I think I can already tell you with certainty that a punishment will most definitely follow. This kind of behavior is unacceptable."  
"I understand."  
"Good", the man got up and cleared his throat,"Now go upstairs and do something useful. I don't want to see you down before dinner."_

So here he was, grounded for three weekends. His parents knew how much his friends meant to him - his stupid, impulsive act had only once again proved that - so they saw this as quite an effective punishment.  
And it was. It sucked being the only one not able to attend their sleepovers and gatherings.

"It's only for three weekends", Beverly had comforted him, rubbing his back soothingly,"It could've been worse Stanny."  
"And you can s-s-still see us on w-weekdays...", Bill had added, giving him a sympathetic look.

He knew they were right, but he still felt weirdly left out, even if he'd just seen them yesterday...  
He wondered what they were up to... How many times Eddie and Richie had quarreled already, and if Ben had made any progress with the new research he was doing...

Stanley pulled himself out of those thoughts and softly shook his head, his eyes focused on the clock again.  
Eight past eleven...  
He should rest... Just sitting there and pondering would only make him feel worse plus lonelier. 

He got up and scratched the back of his head.  
It wouldn't be easy to fall asleep, but it was worth the try at least.  
Stanley turned off the lights, before falling backwards onto his bed, stretching his back and staring at the ceiling.

And for an instant, even though he felt shitty, he couldn't help but smile a little.  
"Unbelievable I actually miss that trashmouth", he mumbled to himself as he sat up to unbutton his shirt.

Once it was undone, he folded it neatly and placed it on top of his drawer, pulling back the strap of his belt and-

_Tick._

Stanley froze.  
What was that?  
He lifted his head and looked around his room... 

Had he misheard?  
For a few seconds he stayed silent just to be sure, but didn't hear anything.  
He frowned a little. Strange...  
Maybe it had been the wind...

He just decided to ignore it and wanted to go back to undressing.  
Until...

_Tick... Tick!_

Stanley's head snapped to the right, a deep frown forming between his eyebrows now.  
What the...?

He let go of his belt which was now hanging loosely around his hips.  
Was it coming from the window...?

_Tick!_

Yes, the window.  
Stanley felt his heart beat in his throat.  
What the hell was going on?

He collected all his courage and walked over to the side where the sounds were coming from.  
He swallowed thickly and with one, powerful movement he opened the curtains... Just in time to see a piece of gravel hit the glass of his window.

"What-"  
He stepped forward to see what or who was throwing it and-  
Wait, was that...?  
Stanley reached out and unlocked the window, pushing it upwards so he could easily lean out.

"What the fuck?!", he whisper-screamed.  
Underneath his window was no one else than Bill freaking Denbrough, holding a bunch of stones.  
When his eye fell upon the boulder he was holding, Stanley knew he'd been just in time.

"Hey! Stanley! It's m-me, Bill!"  
Stanley flinched at the loudness of the other's voice, who was screaming loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear.  
"Yes, I can see that Einstein! Can you turn down the volume?! My parents are asleep!", he continued to yell back at him in a very subdued voice.

Bill looked up at him and let out a small 'oooh', followed by something that sounded like giggling.  
"My bad!", he tried again,"Is this b-better?"  
If this was his quiet - which was basically still screaming - his parents would be awake in no time and Stanley would be in big, big trouble.

So once Bill opened his mouth again, Stanley gestured him to stop.  
"I'm coming down", he told him,"Stay there, stay quiet. I'm coming down."

Bill's expression lit up at that announcement and a dazzling smile appeared on his lips.  
He nodded quickly and then gave him a thumbs up.

Stanley closed the window and curtains again and sighed deeply.  
What the fuck was he doing here, acting like a complete moron?  
Something was definitely out of the ordinary, that much was clear.

He grabbed his shirt and quickly pulled it on, not bothering to button it down all the way.  
He left his room and hurried downstairs - as silent as he could - before he finally reached the door.

As soon as he opened it and stepped out, he almost immediately bumped into Bill, who'd been waiting in front of it.  
Stanley flinched and brought a hand to his chest.  
"Holy shit", he whispered,"You've given me three heart attacks in five minutes. What the fuck are you up to?"

Bill blinked confusedly but continued smiling, a genuine, warm smile that made Stanley's skin tingle for some reason.  
The other's cheeks and nose were red, and the look in his eyes was a little hazy when he said:"I t-thought it would b-be nice to v-visit you, since you w-were all alone..."

Bill's eyes wandered to something else then, which seemed to make him even more confused.  
"Stan, your sh-shirt..."

Stanley frowned a little and looked down at his chest... Oh, because it wasn't buttoned?

Bill suddenly reached out and started pulling on it softly, seemingly trying to do it for him...  
But his eye-hand coordination was a little too fucked up to do it right.

Stanley wrapped his hand around one of his hands and squinted.  
"How much did you have?"  
Bill's eyes met his, innocent as ever.  
"Huh?"  
"How much did you drink? Are you drunk right now?"

Bill blinked and quickly shook his head.  
"W-what? No, of course not... I just... We played s-some game... Had a f-few beers..."  
He looked back down - way too suddenly - and lost his balance for a second.  
Luckily he was able to hold on to Stanley so he wouldn't tumble to his side.

The latter frowned deeply and held onto his hand, placing his free one on the boy's shoulder for extra support.  
He seemed to be pretty fucked up. Of course he'd seen him tipsy, but never this badly. Bill wasn't someone who used to drink a lot...

But however, he was now chuckling uncontrollably, one hand holding Stanley's and the other one still holding onto his shirt.  
"How did you get here?", he asked,"Where are the others?"

The other let go off him and rubbed his nose, looking left and pointing at his bike.  
"They were heading h-home", he said,"But I didn't w-want you to f-feel l-left out... So..."

Stanley turned to look at Bill's bike, Silver, which had been abandoned a little farther on his yard.  
He turned back to look at Bill and sent him a strict glare.  
"You drove your bike in this state? Are you insane? You could've hurt yourself- Did you hurt yourself?"

Bill seemed a little perplexed at the fuss he was making.  
"N-no...", he mumbled,"I mean- Almost, b-but that doesn't count..."  
The way he looked at him with his beautiful, doe eyes made Stanley's heart ache.  
"Are you m-mad at m-me?"

He looked genuinely worried about that, his eyes searching for some kind of approval.  
Stanley sighed soundlessly.  
Getting mad at him for being irresponsible wouldn't be the solution. With his intoxicated state of mind, Bill wasn't as receptive as he usually was. 

"Of course not", he whispered and placed a hand on his back, rubbing it in small circles,"Just concerned. I'm sorry if I worried you, it was very nice to come over."

Just a little impulsive and stupid... But Stanley couldn't help but feel his heart bloom at the idea of Bill actually thinking about him while he wasn't there.

The grin that now decorated Bill's face was like a child's, genuine and gleaming.  
"I-I knew it'd ch-ch-cheer you up. I asked Richie and B-Bev to join, but they told me it was a b-bad idea..."

Stanley hummed and nodded a little.  
That was because Richie and Bev could take alcohol and probably weren't as tipsy as Bill here.

"So what's your plan now, Billy?"  
He would have to have a word with Beverly and the others about just letting him drive off like this...  
They probably hadn't noticed him leaving... It wouldn't be the first time someone just disappeared.  
But to be fair, it always worked out just fine.

"Head h-home?", Bill asked, as if they were playing some kind of quiz.  
"But how?"  
"S-Silve-"  
"Oh, hell no", Stanley shook his head,"What did we just say? Don't drink and drive."  
Bill nodded softly and a focused frown appeared between his eyebrows:"R-Right..."

Stanley sighed a little and looked over at the bike laying in his front yard now...  
There was no way he would just let him go like this. He'd end up feeling anxious all night and wouldn't even be able to go check up on him tomorrow morning...

He sighed deeply and looked up.  
No lights were on and no sound of anyone moving could be heard inside the house.  
His parents were certainly asleep by now... 

He looked back at Bill, who seemed to be deep in thoughts, his lips a little pouty while being so concentrated.

"What about I accompany you?", he asked softly,"I'll drop you off at home."  
The boy blinked and looked back at him.  
"But... W-What about your p-parents?"

Stanley scratched the back of his head and shrugged.  
"Let's just pray they don't wake up", he said,"And I mean... Your safety is worth it, right?"

Bill maintained eye contact for a few seconds, before breaking into another one of his broad, luminous smiles.  
"T-That's why I l-like you the best", he said without hesitation, reaching for his hand.

Stanley was baffled at first, surprised that Bill said something like that.  
He couldn't help but burst into laughter though, just blaming it on the alcohol.  
"I'm so going to hold that against you at some point", he notified him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze,"Let's go now, idiot."

Apparently this night wouldn't be so boring after all.


	2. Sheep

Bill's house wasn't so far from Stanley's. In fact, it was the one that was the closest of all Losers.  
That was something Stanley was thankful for right now... And also the fact that Bill was the kind of drunk that was okay with whatever you made them do.

He couldn't imagine what kind of trouble he had been going though if it had been Richie instead of Bill.  
He'd been dragging a cursing and complaining teenager home in that case.

"Stanley?", Bill suddenly broke the silence.  
"Mhmm?", he asked, looking his way.  
"Do you ever w-wonder... like... why l-lambs are so soft?"  
Stanley blinked and frowned:"What?"  
"Yeah... I mean... My aunt h-has these sh-sheep, right? And... they're just... so s-soft..."

Stanley looked at Bill and closed his eyes for an instant.  
Bill might be easy to handle, but his drunken thoughts were literally all over the place.

"Did you try asking them?", he decided to answer, well-aware that there was no other, more normal response to his question.

Bill stared at him with big eyes and shook his head:"They c-can't talk, Stanley, jeez'..."  
Stanley chuckled and nodded:"Of course, silly me."

They continued walking in silence then, fingers still intertwined.  
It made him feel nice for some reason... He liked feeling his skin against his own, feeling his warmth...

Yeah, Bill's warmth... It was something very special, very rare he hadn't witnessed in many people before.  
Even when it was freezing outside, his hands would always feel soft and pleasantly warm.  
Stanley enjoyed his hugs the most too. Not even Mike's embraces could beat Bill's... They were just so full of love and made him feel safe.

That was a good way to describe them... Whenever Bill would hug him, he felt like nothing could possibly hurt him. Like the negativity was instantly being drowned from his body and every single thing in a span of 20 kilometers.  
That was the kind of effect Bill's hugs could have. They were truly healing.

"You k-kind of remind me of a sh-sheep."  
Stanley brusquely woke up out of his thoughts when he heard what Bill had just declared.  
"Pardon me?"

The other nodded seriously, as if it was something obvious. A fact he could substantiate with a few simple, yet well-thought of and calculated arguments.  
"You remind me of a sh-sheep", he repeated.

Stanley stared at him and kept quiet for a few seconds.  
"A sheep?"  
"Y-yes."  
"The animal?"  
"Ye- Well, d-duh!"  
"... Elaborate?"

Bill tilted his head and looked at Stanley, starting to swing their hands a little.  
"Well", he started,"F-first of all, your hair is curly t-too... And very s-soft..."

He carefully reached for his hair and touched it, eyes shimmering.  
"B-Bev once t-told me she's j-jealous of it... But I g-guess that's n-normal... I mean... For a girl to be j-jealous about it... It's just v-very... beautiful..."

Stanley could feel his cheeks become hotter at his words, his heart skipping a few beats.  
Him getting compliments certainly played a part in that, but the fact that Bill was giving them...  
It just felt different. It felt amazing, he wasn't going to lie about that.

"And... you're c-cuddly... And kind...", Bill continued absentmindedly, still playing with Stanley's curls,"And when I can't s-sleep, I think about y-you..."

Stanley could only stare, feeling like his heart was going to explode if Bill were to continue his monologue.  
He averted his eyes and bit the inside of his cheek.  
Shit... Why was he feeling this way?  
Why did these kind of emotions only pop up when it was Bill?

"Tsk...", Stanley shook his head and gave the other's hand a little squeeze,"You really are a handful while drunk, do you know that?"

He looked back into Bill's eyes, who was smiling confusedly... And Stan's mouth went dry when the feeling kicked in again, even more violent than before.

The brilliant twinkles in eyes, the subtle dimples that appeared whenever he smiled, the infinite warmth and love this boy emitted...  
His stutters and the way he'd pout unknowingly whenever he focused on something.  
The little scar he had on his right eyebrow...  
It tightened his throat, made him absolutely speechless.

He'd felt this before, he knew this feeling very well. Yet, he had always decided to neglect it. He put it in a box and sealed it so it wouldn't be able to escape.  
Because even though it was a pleasant feeling, one that gave him energy, he didn't want to acknowledge it.

He didn't want to be overcome by it at random moments.  
He didn't want it to take him by surprise every time Bill would struggle with pronouncing a word, or every time he laughed.  
He wanted to be in control of this strange emotion. 

Yet, seeing him like this: drunk, pure and barely making any sense, he couldn't push the feelings away.

Maybe it was because the dim light of the lanterns accentuated his handsome features just right, or maybe because the alcohol made him say all these things he usually wouldn't... He wasn't completely sure why...  
But it was there. Very present and throbbing in his chest, as if it was begging to finally be acknowledged.

Stanley was sunken so deep into thoughts he hadn't even noticed they were nearing Bill's house.

His head shot up when the latter suddenly stopped.  
"W-we're here", he said, seemingly getting in the stage of drunkenness where the exhaustion took over his body.

"Oh- Yeah, of course", Stanley muttered, trying to smile a little,"Okay, uhm... Careful, yeah? Make sure to be quiet as you go upstairs. Your parents will definitely notice you got drunk when they wake up and see you like this."

Bill blinked slowly and didn't really reply. He just held onto his hand and whined a little.  
"Y-you won't c-come inside?", he asked.  
Stanley looked at him and scratched the back of his head:"Well..."

Honestly, Stanley didn't want to go inside.  
He actually wanted to hurry home and scream into his pillow till the feeling disappeared.  
He wanted to sleep it off and wake up the next morning, being back to normal.

But just the way Bill looked at him, as if he desperately needed him to come, complaining about it like he'd die if he didn't...  
How could he possibly say no?

A few minutes later - after getting him upstairs as silently as possible - Stanley was standing into Bill's room, looking at the posters on his walls while the other was changing into his pajamas.

He'd seen him half-naked many times, but he knew his heart couldn't take that kind of thing right now.  
He'd suffered enough for the night, he'd say...

"Stanley?"  
It sounded tired and defeated, followed by a floppy sound.  
"Yes?"  
"Help."

Stanley turned around and frowned slightly seeing how Bill was laying on his bed, arm and legs open like a sea-star.  
His halfway buttoned shirt - he'd seemingly missed a few buttonholes too - gave away that he'd attempted to fix it himself, but had terribly failed.

Stanley tried his very best to hold back his laughter at the sight, but simply couldn't suppress a grin.  
He walked over and looked down  
on him, softly poking his stomach,  
"Sit up, would ya?", he requested, taking his hand and pulling him up.  
Bill grumbled a little but did as he'd been asked.

Stanley kneeled down and started opening the buttons again, trying his very best to focus on those instead of what was underneath the fabric.  
He patiently started closing them, humming softly.

Maybe you'd expect him to be mad or irritated by the trouble and risks Bill had caused him to take all night long, but actually, Stan didn't feel anything like that.

Yes, he'd been a complete idiot for getting drunk, visiting his house per bike and not being able to function like a normal human due to the alcohol...  
But Stanley knew that if it had been him instead of Bill, Bill would have taken care of him as well.

The same counted for the other Losers.  
Sometimes they'd annoy the crap out of Stanley.  
Hell, some days they would fucking test his boundaries by just breathing.  
But whatever occurred, he knew that if something were to happen to him, they'd have his back.  
So it was his duty to be there for them, even though they were complete idiots.  
Friends- No, Losers had to stick together. Always. Forever.

"Stanley?"  
"Hmm?"  
"Th-Thanks..."

Stanley looked up at him and offered Bill a gentle smile, shaking his head.  
"It's fine, Billy."

Bill blinked, a shy smile appearing on his lips.  
They were quiet then, just staring at each other for a while.  
Normally it would've been awkward, but right now, Stanley was just absolutely being sucked in by his beauty.

"Stanley", Bill whispered again then, his voice calm and deep.  
Stanley felt shivers run down his spine. How many times was he going to repeat his name?  
He tried to hide being flustered, so he rolled his eyes instead.  
"Yes?"  
"I like you a lot..."

Stanley continued to stare up at him, feeling his heart leap in his chest.  
Shit... How could he say that so carelessly?  
"That's like the third time you announce that tonight, Bill."  
"But I m-mean it..."

Stanley inhaled through his nose and gave him a gentle smile, placing his hand on his thigh and patting it carefully.  
"That's really sweet of you", he whispered back.  
Bill nodded slowly and stared at the hand on his thigh.

They were quiet again.  
Quiet, but very close to each other.  
Somehow that made it feel less silent.

And right when Stanley was about to tell him it was time for him to leave and that he should sleep, Bill leaned forward, their foreheads colliding.

Stanley flinched and blinked a few times, his first instinct being leaning back...  
But he didn't.

"What are you doing?", he tried to joke, laughing it off just a little, finishing his buttons.  
But Bill didn't react nor say anything... 

He peeked up at the latter, whose eyes were now closed, his full, dark lashes creating small shadows on his cheeks.

"Whenever I look at you", he whispered,"I can't help but think you're so fucking beautiful."

Stanley felt like he was having a seizure. Like his heart was beating so frantically it would collapse any second.  
Without a stutter? Without any hesitation?  
Did he just say it that easily?

Was he really this drunk? Was he this far gone?  
He didn't even notice he was shaking until he looked at his hands.

Shit.

"Yikes Bill... You really have no idea what you're saying", Stanley whispered softly,"It's time to go to bed, Bill... I have to go home... Moreover, you'll regret this when you wake u-"

"St-stay..."  
Their eyes finally met again, Bill's ones hazy, yet sparkly.

Stanley swallowed thickly and started chewing on his lip.  
The nervousness this guy was causing right now was incredible and heavy.  
How could someone he'd known for such a long time, someone he'd trust his life with, make him feel so restless?

He sighed softly and patted his thigh softly.  
"What about it tuck you in instead?", he whispered,"Tuck you in, get you a glass of water... I can stay until you fall asleep... Does that sound like a plan?"

Bill hummed softly and seemed to hesitate a little... But then nodded.  
Relief took over his body.  
Staying all night was no option... Certainly not.  
But he could wait a little longer. In this state, it wouldn't take too long for Bill to pass out... This was the safest option he had.

"Alright", he breathed, finally able to lean back - whilst making sure to support Bill a little... Just in case.

He guided him to lay down and draped the sheets over him.  
He neatly covered his whole body, not wanting him to feel cold or uneasy.  
As soon as he was laying down, he got him that glass of water, placing it on his nightstand...

He felt Bill watch his every step.

"There we go", he muttered, sitting down on the mattress now everything was ready.  
Bill looked up at him with an expression so sweet and warm, he couldn't help but feel his heart beat in his throat.

"Are you tired?"  
"Mhmm..."  
"I noticed. Why don't you close you eyes? It'll be easier..."  
"I want to s-see you..."

Stanley chuckled in pure adoration, flattening the tiny folds in the sheets.  
"You see me every day, dipshit... You need your rest now."

Bill inhaled deeply, almost hopelessly, as if the world's weight was resting on his shoulder.  
"But... It's never j-just... y-you and me..."  
His gaze lowered to his hands, whereafter Stanley felt how Bill's larger and warmer one engulfed his.  
"I w-wish... It was j-just you and m-me more often, S-Stan..."

Stanley stared at their hands and felt his soul leave his body when their fingers slowly interlinked.  
"I... Yeah... I understand."

That was all he could bring out. His mind went blank, his heart was exploding and his body was overflowing with strange and intense emotions he'd never felt before.  
Was this normal?  
Maybe he was getting sick...  
But somehow he knew that once he'd leave this room and Bill behind, once his scent would no longer linger in his nose, once he would be out of his silky touch... He would feel much calmer.

"Stanley?"  
Stanley blinked and let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head with his free hand:"Yes?"

The next thing he felt was how Bill let go of his hand, but instead went for his back, pulling him down towards him.  
Stanley felt like going nuts, like screaming... But he didn't.  
He just... Went with it.

He swallowed thickly and let Bill nuzzle up to him, feeling his chin press against his shoulder, his warm breath tickling his skin.  
Hugging wasn't something foreign for the two of them. Actually, the losers would cuddle quite often...  
But somehow this was different.  
It felt... so intense.

Stanley placed a hand on Bill's back and rubbed it softly, hoping desperately that he wouldn't notice how bad he was trembling.  
"There there", he whispered, not really knowing what to say.

"Y-you smell really g-good...", Bill uttered, his hands wandering to his waist, wrapping around it and squeezing softly.  
"I do?", he breathed,"I wish I could say that about you too, but you smell like beer."  
Bill grumbled but didn't fight him on that. 

Once again, they became silent...  
And because of the silence and warmth, Stanley caught himself almost dozing off, cursing under his breath.

He couldn't fall asleep here. He had to stay awake and then head home.  
Fuck... He hated walking alone when it was dark outside, but he simply had no choice.

He leaned back a little to see Bill's face, and to his big relief, the other seemed to be asleep...  
Perfect. The only thing he had to do was untangle their limbs and...

Stanley stared at him, a lot of different thoughts overwhelming him.  
He looked so... delicate... So young.  
Bill looked absolutely gorgeous. He always was, but... It was extra noticeable right now.

He could eye him for hours and hours like this. There was no way he'd ever get sick of looking at him.  
The longer he watched, the more subtle, yet stunning details he discovered.

He lifted his hand and cautiously - very cautiously - let his thumb stroke over the scar in his right eyebrow.  
A true miracle...

And that's when Stanley started wondering...  
He wondered when it had all started.  
When was the first time he'd felt these things? How did it happen? Did it just appear one day, or had it come slowly, building up and getting bigger until he couldn't ignore it anymore?

He had no idea... He didn't know when he'd first felt his heart skip a beat when Bill would call his name... He didn't remember when he'd first felt shivers run down his spine whenever they'd touch the slightest bit.  
He had no idea...

But he did know that it had been there for a pretty long time. It wasn't something that had started recently, because he would've definitely noticed that.  
It was something he'd felt for a while, something he'd felt for so long he had developed a way of ignoring and hiding it.  
But tonight... He didn't want to hide it. He wanted experience the feelings Bill gave him. 

He probably could be considered a coward for only daring to open up to them when the other was drunk.  
When they were on their own, just the two of them.  
It meant no curious eyes , no alertness and questions because of his reactions and behavior...  
Maybe it was in fact cowardice, but Stanley preferred calling it cautiousness.

He just didn't want to... fuck things up.  
Stanley needed his friends. He needed and cherished them so dearly that he would not let anything come in between them.  
Not even the unbelievably enormous crush he had on one of his best friends.

Soon enough it was clear that not the untangling, but finding the will to leave was going to be the hardest part of actually going home.  
He wanted to stay, wanted to fall asleep and wake up next to him...  
But it simply wasn't an option.

Why did he have to be grounded on this night of all nights?  
He sighed defeatedly and finally leant back, getting ready to roll out of the bed and leaving... Until Bill opened his eyes.

He stared at him and felt his heart ache when he rubbed his eyes, yawning tiredly.  
"Where are you g-going?"  
"I have to head home, Billy."  
Bill sent him a betrayed and confused look:"B-But... I'm not asleep y-yet..."

Stanley couldn't help but smile at that.  
"You were two seconds ago...", he whispered, carefully stroking his hair out of his eyes,"It's really late Bill... I have to go."

The latter pouted and grabbed Stanley's hand, bringing it to his chest.  
Stanley sighed, exhausted because of the emotions, the lateness, but also Bill's drunken stubbornness.  
"Billy... I'll see you on Monday", he promised him,"You'll survive."

Even though he completely adored the fact that he wanted him to stay this badly, he wished he'd let him go. It only made leaving more difficult than it already was.

"O-okay...", he whispered, looking defeated now,"Monday..."  
Stanley smiled a little and nodded:"Yup..."  
"One more h-hug?"  
Stanley groaned, but decided to give in. It was easier than trying to argue about it.  
He leaned back down and hugged him tightly.

"Alright, goodnight Bill", he said after a few seconds.  
He pushed himself back up and hovered above Bill's face for a few seconds, smiling a little.  
"Sleep well, yeah?"  
Bill nodded and smiled back, reaching for his neck and caressing its back.  
"You t-too..."

He nodded his head and patted his arm, expecting him to let go... But he didn't... 

"Stanley?"  
A deep, deep sigh escaped from Stanley's lips and he pressed his eyes closed.  
This little shi-  
"Yes, Bill?"

Nothing followed. He was this - this - close to starting to scold him for playing him like that, but then...

He felt how he got pulled down... And how Bill's lips pressed against his cheek... The corners of their mouths meeting.

His eyes shot open and he swore his heart had finally given up.  
Did he just-

Bill fell back onto his pillow, eyes closed and hands becoming looser around his neck.  
"I love you."

It was just a mumble. Just a short, soft sentence muttered between his teeth.  
But it was loud enough for Stanley to hear and clear enough for him to understand.  
And he completely lost it.

Stanley's mouth became dry, his stomach turned upside down and he felt cold sweat run down his back.  
Shit-  
Shit.

His face turned the darkest possible shade of red and his hands became all clammy...  
But right when he was about to reply, when he opened his mouth...  
A soft snore left Bill's lips.

And Stanley?  
He followed his instinct and fled the room as fast as he could.


End file.
